GTA's success provides a sad commentary on today's society

Tuesday

Oct 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Where have you gone Pac-Man and Space Invaders?

Where have you gone Pac-Man and Space Invaders?Apparently the way of wholesome and innocent family entertainment, the kind there used to be not that long ago.The video-game age is taking us by storm. It is beginning to rival the movie industry in popularity. And that's probably not a good thing.For one, it reflects how we are spending our time, for another it provides a striking and stark perspective of how the values of a generation have evolved in a short period of time.Grand Theft Auto 5, or GTA as it is known, was released Sept. 17, and customers were lining up to buy it long before the stores would open. According to The Motley Fool, a multimedia financial- services company, in just three days GTA became the most successful release across all of entertainment as it raked in more than $1 billion.By comparison, this summer's biggest blockbuster movie, "Iron Man 3," brought in $372 million in its first weekend across the globe.No doubt the Baby Boomer group is not the game's largest market segment. This particular video game is the latest in a series of Grand Theft Auto releases, but by all accounts it's the most controversial and the one that appeals most to prurient interests. According to reviews, gamers can lead a life of crime, shoot police officers and pedestrians, torture people, drink and drive, and have sex with prostitutes. As you "spend" money, a window displays how much you have remaining in your account. If your account goes dry, your game is over.You may recoup your money, in many ways. One is by beating up the prostitute you just engaged and getting your funds back, for example.The game also features pole dancers and lap dancers at a men's club and is laced with profane language that pushes open the envelope. Gamers may also rape women if they so choose.Although one must be age 18 to purchase GTA, once it gets into a household, it's anybody's game to play.Is it art imitating life or life imitating art? There is certainly some question about whether this is art. It is certainly unhealthy entertainment.The game reportedly cost roughly $265 million to develop and market, and that tells us the creators were confident they could sink that kind of money into the project and bank on a great return.Too bad they were right.